The Wall Street Journal reported that sixty-one percent of Americans believe poorer countries should be allowed to break a drugmaker’s patent on an AIDS medications if doing so would help its population. This was one of the results of a poll WSJ held together with Harris Interactive on what Americans think about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and whether poor nations should have the right to break pattents on essential HIV/AIDS medications.

According to the poll, 57 percent favored the recent move by Brazil to break a patent on a Merck AIDS drug, and only 20 percent were opposed. Meanwhile, just 33 percent believe that breaking patents on AIDS drug impedes drug development, while 40 percent disagree. The poll of 2,246 adults was conducted online June 11-13. There was no question about Thailand.

Interestingly, 40 percent think the global HIV/AIDS epidemic has grown worse in the last five years, down from 58 percent in 2004. And 16 percent say they felt conditions have gotten better, while 32 percent believe things have stayed about the same. This means that people in the sample do not feel the crisis is deepening and breaking patents is the only way out.

Instead it appears that most people who filled the poll simply believe there are legitimate reasons for a poorer nation to break a patent, though each country has its own set of variables. The poll results underscore why Abbott Labs is having such a hard time convincing anyone that playing hardball with the Thai government or AIDS activists in France is justified.

(Sarah Rimmington/ Essential Action)